So Mikko went home with the Bear. The old Bear Wife was laid out on a bench in the kitchen.
“Now then,” the Bear said, “you begin the wailing while I cook the porridge.”
“No, no, Osmo,” the Fox said, “I couldn’t possibly wail in here! The place is full of smoke and my voice would get husky in two minutes! Can’t you lay her out in the storehouse?”
The Bear demurred but the Fox insisted and at last had his way. So together they dragged the body of the old Bear Wife out to the storehouse. The Fox stood beside the body ready to begin his wailing and the Bear went back to the kitchen.
The moment the Bear was out of sight Mikko, the rascal, instead of bewailing the old Bear Wife began gobbling her up! He just gobbled and gobbled and gobbled as fast as he could.
“What’s the matter?” the Bear called out after a few minutes. “Why don’t you begin?”
The Fox made no reply but kept on gobbling as hard as he could.
“Mikko! Mikko!” the Bear called out again. “What’s the matter? Why aren’t you howling?”
By this time the Fox had made a good dinner, so he called back:
“Don’t bother me! I’m busy eating! Yum! Yum! Yum! Bear meat is awful good! Just give me a few more minutes and I’ll be finished!”